Same, same, but different

Geotourism is a relatively new term in the travel industry being used to describe a special kind of eco-tourism. Geotourism is the opposite of that traveler whose goal is to try a McDonalds on every continent. It’s about experiencing the unique culture and specific history of a location. It’s about using tourist dollars to enhance a destination rather than take from it.

Geotourism incorporates many aspects of ecotourism, including a desire to minimize the environmental impact of tourism, but it is also about having an authentic experience.

Examples of geotourism might include listening to jazz in New Orleans, visiting an organic coffee farm in Guatemala or dining on fried clams in a clam shack by the seaside in New England.

“People to tend to like things that they’re not going to experience somewhere else. They’re looking for things that are not homogenized,” said David DePetrillo, Rhode Island’s tourism director. “People are seeking a more experiential vacation.”

Several areas including Rhode Island have recently signed a Geotourism Charter designed by the National Geographic Society. Guatemala, Romania and Arizona are other areas committed to the ideals of geotourism.

The term ‘geotourism’ was coined by Jonathan B. Tourtellot in a 2002 study published by National Geographic Traveler. “The enemy of geotourism is sameness,” he said. “There’s a great deal of creeping sameness in the world.”

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